Meet The Woman Behind LinkedIn's Thriving Company Culture

Culture is the defining characteristic in any company, good or bad. As companies grow and get further away from their beginning, an inevitable shift occurs. What made the company great at the start doesn’t always scale as the company grows.

LinkedIn, the world’s largest professional network, understands the value in a healthy culture, and they focus on creating a great one. When they first started in 2003, familiar networks like Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram had not yet launched. Since then, the site now has over 467 million registered users in over 200 countries.

Young millennials are the fastest growing demographic to join the network, and roughly two-thirds of their workforce comes from this generation.

Credit: LinkedIn

Millennials place a high value on workplace culture, and they stay longer as a result. The 2016 Deloitte Millennials Survey said those staying in their organizations for at least five years are more likely to report a positive culture than others.

So what does LinkedIn do in order to maintain and develop its culture? The woman currently tasked with answering that question is Nina McQueen, VP of Global Benefits, Mobility, and Employee Experience.

McQueen is one of the best people in Silicon Valley to discuss actively managing culture. Her background includes companies like Yahoo, Facebook, and Gap, Inc. At LinkedIn, she leads the Benefits & Employee Experience teams, which focuses on sustaining a strong culture in the company.

Culture comes from the top

People replicate what leaders demonstrate. “Our CEO puts focus and culture and values,” notes McQueen. “He talks about it all the time.” McQueen is referring to Jeff Weiner, the CEO since 2009.

“Ten years ago, had you asked me about culture and values I would have rolled my eyes and recited a line from Dilbert. But when I started as CEO I began to appreciate just how important they were. Culture and values provide the foundation upon which everything else is built. They are arguably our most important competitive advantage, and something that has grown to define us.”

Put people first

Employee turnover is a challenge in Silicon Valley. According to the 2016 Tech Industry Report, the tech industry is the least likely to have people still at the company within a year. With such high turnover rates, prioritizing relationships appears counterintuitive, but it is an incredibly effective approach for LinkedIn.

“Relationships matter and they matter for life,” says McQueen. “We are thankful you came here, and we want to make sure you’re a better professional than when you came in the door.”

Demonstrating a people-first culture is one of the best ways to attract top talent. When Michael Lage left Facebook to lead Chick-fil-A’s mobile development team, he was drawn to the culture of people over profits. Done well, "people over profits" develops people and increases profits.

Learn to scale what works

Most business leaders are skilled in scaling production, hiring, and sales. Yet few put the necessary effort into scaling what works with employee engagement.

McQueen and her team at LinkedIn focus on intentional cultural development. One recent example is how they scaled InDay, short for “Investment Day.” Each month, LinkedIn employees have a day to focus on self, company, community or the world. The days are often themed, like “Bring Your Parents To Work Day” or “Community Day.”

InDay is one of the cultural elements at LinkedIn dating back to the beginning. But as the company grew, the purpose of InDay got murky. It was mentioned to new hires but never fully explained.

“My team got together and asked about the intention of InDay,” says McQueen. “It wasn’t dead. We just needed to bring the masses along. We now have the mechanisms [to do it].” InDay now happens in their offices around the world with great success.

Get creative with your culture

While they have been intentional in keeping what makes their culture unique, LinkedIn also looks for new ways to connect with their employees. “There’s a company band called “Next Play,” which is a term used by the CEO,” says McQueen. They have a dedicated rehearsal space at the office, and often play at company events like picnics and InDay.

Other unique benefits for LinkedIn employees include a monthly speaker series streamed globally to all employees, as well “Perk Up,” a recent program giving employees an allowance that best fits their needs. Uses include childcare, gym memberships, and even pet walking.

Companies looking for a stronger culture don’t need to copy the exact programs developed by LinkedIn. Instead, look for tangible ways to express company values. Those expressions may include volunteer programs or onsite gyms, but meet the unique needs of the employees within the company.

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